Life for Man who Murdered Partner he 'Loved to Bits'

A man who murdered the partner he "loved to bits" by stabbing her through the heart has been jailed for life. Yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow Steven McCall, 43, was ordered to serve at least 16 years in jail for the horrific killing. He killed Senga Closs at 12 Elmbank Avenue, Uddingston, on April 4 or 5 and was convicted of her murder after a jury trial. Solicitor advocate Rhonda Anderson, defending, said: "Mr McCall now fully accepts his guilt. Senga Closs was a loved and warm-hearted person and he is remorseful for what he did." Sentencing McCall to life, judge Lord Matthews said: " You were convicted of the murder of a vulnerable and well-liked lady, who is obviously a significant loss to her friends and family. You now show remorse." Lord Matthews said that no one will know for sure what happened that night, but added: "You took a knife and repeatedly struck her with it." He sentenced McCall to serve at least 16 years behind bars and told him: "This does not mean you will be released after this time. That will be up to others in the Parole Board to decide." The court heard that just days before 47-year-old Senga was murdered by McCall she told her best friend June Grey that he spat in her dinner and tried to strangle her. On the night of the murder the couple rowed and McCall stabbed his partner of seven years three times with a kitchen knife and then left her to die in the kitchen. Advocate depute Angela Gray, prosecuting, said: "He plunged the knife into her. Again and again and again. "Senga's hands were cut as she tried in vain to defend herself from his murderous attack." The court heard that McCall's shoes and trousers were stained with her blood. When his sister Jacqueline McCall phoned him just after midnight he confessed to her that he had stabbed Senga with a screwdriver. But, he didn't phone an ambulance or try to help Senga, until 22 minutes after admitting the stabbing to his sister. During the trial McCall denied killing his partner of seven years and blamed his best friend Mark Hernon or someone unknown. In evidence Mr Hernon denied killing Senga and said he was not at the couple's house that night. It was also suggested by McCall's defence team that Senga might have been killed in a robbery. But, her telephone handbag, money were all in the kitchen beside her body. McCall's sister Jacqueline told police: "My brother told me he had stabbed Senga with a screwdriver and that he was standing in a pool of blood." In evidence McCall claimed that he found his partner lying dead or dying covered in blood and had nothing to do with her death. He said: "I was her carer. I loved her to bits. I've not done a thing wrong not a thing wrong. I know I am in the clear." He said he couldn't remember saying to his sister that he had stabbed Senga. McCall told police who arrived on the scene: "I can only thing I can think is she's let someone in the house and it has all went wrong."